Legislature

Meeting chamber of the National Assembly, the lower chamber of the French Parliament.

The legislature is a branch of the running of a nation with the power over legislation. The enacting and alteration of laws is the main duty of a legislature, but it may also be required to perform other tasks such as the election of the head of state, executive or government. Legislatures are usually unicameral (consisting of one chamber) or bicameral (consisting of two chambers), however, rarely, they are tricameral (consisting of three chambers).

In most bicameral systems, the lower house, despite its description of being "below" the upper house, is almost always the most powerful of the two chambers and almost always wholly elected. The upper house, meanwhile, is usually smaller, more restricted in power and designed to be a more deliberative body, and can be either directly elected (e.g. Australian Senate), indirectly elected (e.g. Indian Rajya Sabha), wholly appointed (e.g. Canadian Senate), a mixture of appointed and elected (e.g. Belgian Senate prior to 2014), or consist of members who hold seats by virtue of their position in society (e.g. hereditary and religious peers in the British House of Lords). These can hold office for a fixed term or, rarely, for life.

In countries with federal systems, it is common for the upper house to represent specific geographic areas, often equally in spite of population differences. This is the case for the United States Senate, where each state, regardless of population, returns 2 senators.

Legislatures can be known by many names. Names such as National Assembly, Congress and Parliament are most common. Likewise, there are many names for the individual Houses of the legislature. Senate is the most common name for an Upper House. Unicameral legislatures and lower Houses tend to have names such as Assembly, House of Representatives or Chamber of Deputies. Names are often related to the country, for example, the prefix Bundes- (meaning "federal") is used in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, whilst the word Majlis (meaning "council") is common in Islamic countries.

List of micronational legislatures

Nation	Name of legislature	Name of house(s)	House level	Term	Electoral system	Seats
Aariania	Grand Senate		Unicameral	3 years	First-past-the-post	5
Abelden	Reichsversammlung	Bundesrat	Upper house	1 year	Appointed by the states	6
		Volkstag	Lower house	6 months	Party-list proportional representation	13
Abristan	Royal Council	King of Abristan	Crown-in-Parliament	Until Death/Abdication	Head of State	1
		Chamber of Counselors	Upper house	4 years	Appointed by head of state	8
		Chamber of Representatives	Lower house	4 years	First-past-the-post	5
Aethodia	QA Jury		Upper House	1 year	Random sampling	7 per jury
	Legislative Juries		Lower House
Aigues-Mortes	General Assembly		Unicameral	No term limits	Self-appointment	387
Alexostan	Senate		Unicameral	?	?	?
Alsann Republic	Alsane Federal Council		Unicameral	1 year	Approval voting	5
Andany	National Assembly	Senate	Upper house	6 years	First-past-the-post	11
		House of Represntatives	Lower house	2 years	First-past-the-post	22
Angle-Saxish Kingdom	Parliament	Assembly of Councillors	Upper house	For life	Appointed by head of state	3
		Assembly of Commons	Lower house	No term limits	First-past-the-post	3
Arlandica	Parliament of Arlandica		Unicameral	No term limits	Appointed by the President of the Parliament	5
Arstotzkan Union	Federal Assembly of the Arstotzkan Union	Arstotzkan Federal Congress	Bicameral	For Life Positions	First-past-the-post	19
		House of Representatives of the Arstotzkan Union
Asassin	Parliament (The Bamboo)		Unicameral	5 years	First-past-the-post	25
Asgard	Parlamento de Asgard		Unicameral	4 years	First-past-the-post	11
Aspen	Parliament	King-in-Parliament	Bicameral	4 months	Proportional Representation	15
		Bundesrad
		Riksdag
Atovia	House of Commons		Unicameral	1 year	Single transferable vote	3
Austenasia	Parliament	Emperor	Emperor-in-parliament	For life	Hereditary position	1
		House of Representatives	Unicameral	5 years	First-past-the-post	7
Austin Island	National Assembly		Unicameral	2 years	First-past-the-post (54 seats) Open-list proportional representation (16 seats)	70
Australland	Parliament	House of tables	Crown-in-parliament	4 months	Australian Ballot	11
Azzurria	Light Blue Commission		Unicameral	?	Appointed by head of state	13
Royal State of Bagradoria	Council of Divine Governance		Unicameral	1-3 years (1 term a year, 3 max)	First-past-the-post	3
Baránok	Federal Assembly		Unicameral	6 months	Party-list proportional representation	7
Bartonia	National Council		Unicameral	No term limits	Elected by the People	5
Baustralia	Parliament	House of Lords	Upper house	For life	Hereditary position	Not fixed
		House of Commons	Lower house	4 years	First-past-the-post	50
Begonian Kaiserreich	Parliament	Kaiser-Koenig	Emperor-in-Parliament	Life	Hereditary	1
		High Council	Advisorial	Life	Chosen by Kaiser-Koenig	10
		Reichstag (Peoples Imperial House)	Upper House	1–3 years (1 term a year, 3 max)	Elected by the People	15 (Two per district/region or state/duchy, etc)
		Kaiserhaus (House of Royals)	Lower House	Life	Hereditary	20 (Monarchs of imperial territories like Duchies, Kings, Lords, etc)
Belcity	Parliament	President	Unicameral	?	First-past-the-post	1
		Members of the Parliament		1 year	Plurality-at-large voting	24
Benjastan	People's National Congress Of Benjastan	Workers' Assembly	Unicameral	3 years	Party-list proportional representation	8
Bir Tawil	Tawilian National Council		Unicameral	1 year	First-past-the-post	9
Bradonia	The Royal Diet	House of Peers	Unicameral	At his majestys pleasure	Appointed by the Head of State	5
Caddia	Parliament	Chamber of Laws	Unicameral	-	-	-
Cambria	Parliament		Unicameral	2 years, 3 terms max	First-past-the-post	Not fixed
Cascadia	Glasreachtas	Seanad	Upper house	10	Elected by Councils of minorities	3 Months
		Dail Cascadia	Lower house	14	Party-list proportional representation	3 Months
Caudonia	Parliament	Senate	Upper house	-	Appointed by the prince	For the duration of Parliament
		House of Assembly	Lower house	13	Party-list proportional representation	Not fixed (typically 4 months)
Cycoldia	General Assembly		Unicameral	1 year	Instant-runoff voting	10
Deseret	Grand Council		Unicameral	?	?	50
Earth's Kingdom	Green and Blue Commission		Unicameral	Based on the Head of Government	Estabilished by the Constitution	6
Ebenthal	Konkrëse	House of Aristocrats	Upper house	Life-long	Appointed by the monarch	12
		House of Councillors	Lower house	6 months	First-past-the-post	12
Efransa	Parliament	National Assembly	Lower House	4 Months	First-Past-the-Post	5
		Senate	Upper House	At His Majesty’s Pleasure	Appointment by the King	4
Eintrachtia	Parliament	Monarch	Crown-in-parliament	For life	Hereditary position	1
		Senate	Upper house	For life	Appointed by the monarch	4
		Chamber of Deputies	Lower house	1 year	Party-list proportional representation	20
Elbonia	Parliament	Staatsrat	Bicameral	Max. 4 months	Parliamentary confidence D'Hondt Method	10
Esse	Parlamenzalochas		Unicameral	No term limits	Appointed by head of state	8
Essexia	Parliament	King	Crown-in-parliament	For life	Hereditary position	1
		Imperial Parliament of Essexia	Unicameral	1 year	Proportional Representation	11
Essizia	Parliament of Essizia	Senate	Bicameral	At His Majesty's pleasure	Appointed by the King	2
		National Assembly		5 years and at His Majesty's pleasure	First-past-the-post and appointed by the King	10+
Flammancia	Assembly of the Sea	Council of the Sea	Upper house	1 year	Mixed-member proportional representation	10
		National Council	Lower house	1 year	Appointed by parties	1
Florenia	Parliament		Unicameral	?	First-past-the-post	1
Forestia	National Assembly		Unicameral	6 months	First-past-the-post	30
Forestria	Imperial Parliament (Parlamentum Imperialis Forestriae)	Senate	Unicameral	2 years	First-past-the-post	2
Formicad	General Assembly		Unicameral	No term limits	Appointed by the General Secretary (Must be approved by the King)	6 (Can be changed by the King or General Secretary)
Gendarania	Gendaranian National Assembly		Unicameral	6 Months	First-past-the-post	11
Goldlandia	Congress		Unicameral	2 years	single transferable vote	2
Griffasus	National Delegation Council		Unicameral	2 weeks	Direct non-competitive elections	11
Imruland	Parliament		Unicameral	Until death or abdication	Examination	No limits
Gymnasium State	Senate		Unicameral	No term limits	Acquirement of citizenship	25
Indecencia	Federal Congress	Federal Chamber of Deputies	Lower Level	1 month	First-past-the-post	40
		Federal Senate	Higher Level	4 years	First-past-the-post	20
Indokistan	National Forum		Unicameral	No term limits	?	4
Hamsterland	Congress	Senate	Upper house	For life	Appointed by Chief Hamster	20
		Chamber	Lower house	1 year	Proportional representation	20
Juclandia	Great National Assembly		Unicameral	No term limits	Self-appointment	159
Jupiter	Senate		Unicameral	3 months	First-past-the-post	1
Krzakacja	Royal Council		Unicameral	1 year and 6 month	Party-list proportional representation	Unknown
Kingdom of Landopia	Senato del Regno		Unicameral	1 year	Proportional representation	6
Lanzantonia	The Senate of Lanzantonia	House of Imperial Counts	Upper House	Until Death	Emperor's Choise	500
		Federal Council of Advisors	Imperial House	Until Death	Emperor's Choise	No Set Limit
		Emperor of The Grand Imperial Empire of Lanzantonia	Emperor in Government	Until Death	Election Every Time an Emperor Dies	1
		House of Imperial Deputies	Lower House	1 Month	Democratic Election	500
		The People's Government Committee of Lanzantonia	Ministry House	Presidential Choice	Presidential Choice	At the President's Choise
Leprechia	Senate		Unicameral	4 months	First-past-the-post	6 (at peak)
Liahonia	The House of Parliament		Unicameral	2 year term; No term limits	First-past-the-post	24
	Notice: This Parliament is currently on recess while the legislative system is being restructured. This Parliament will reconvene after the changes have been made. Further details regarding this restructuring has not yet been released to the general public.
Ljetzan	Landtag of Ljetzan		Unicameral	4 years	Proportional representation	15
Luxe	Parliament of Luxe		Unicameral	1 year	Instant-runoff voting (alternative vote)	10
Madrona	Parliament	Senate	Upper house	?	?	?
		House of Commons	Lower house	?	?	?
Mahuset	Lazian Chamber		Unicameral	No term limits	Schulze STV	11
Mailacia and Idessa	The Unitary Council of Princes		Aristocracy	Lifetime or Abdication	Salic law	8
Malinovia	Grand Parliament of the Republic		Unicameral	1 year	First-past-the-post	3
Marienbourg	Ducal Diet		Unicameral	6 months	Block voting with panachage	10
Mcarthia	Parliament		Unicameral	No term limits	?	15
Mekniy	Council of State		Unicameral	?	?	10
Memeistry	People's Council	Unicameral	Democratic Election	1 year	3	Not fixed
Mercia	Parliament House		Unicameral	?	?	11
Mivland	Parliament		Unicameral	2 years	Instant-runoff voting (alternative vote)	8
Nedland	Qoroltay		Unicameral	?	?	16
Neeburm	Grand Council		Unicameral	2 months	First-past-the-post	5
Norfolk Empire	Parliament	House of Commons	Unicameral	2 months	Two-round system	3
Nova Kalifornio	Reprezentantĉambro		Unicameral	?	?	5
Occitania	Vergadering		Unicameral	6 months	First-past-the-post	6
Ohio Republic	Congress	Senate	Upper house	6 Months	First-past-the-post	4
		House of Representatives	Lower house	6 Months	First-past-the-post	4
	Parliament	Board of Advisors	Upper house	2 years	The population votes for party, not person, and the percentage of votes the party gets overall is the percentage of the Reps’ Collective and the Advisor’s Board.	4
		Representatives’ Collective	Lower house	1 year		20
Pacific States	Congress	Senate	Upper house	6 years	Plurality voting	5
		House of Representatives	Lower house	2 years	Plurality voting	10
Paravia	Riksting	Imperial Council	Upper house	6 months	Appointed by head of state	3
		Chamber of Delegates	Lower house	No term limits	First-past-the-post	11
Pejaten	Parlamantre	Senate	Upper house	1 year	First-past-the-post	4
		Riksdag	Lower house	1 year	Party-list proportional representation	22
Permaria	Parliament		Unicameral	No term limits	By appointment of monarch	5
Phokland	Parliamentary Senate		Unicameral	No term limits	By appointment of monarch	7
Piedmont	National Assembly	Senate	Upper house	2 years	Preferential voting	14
		Popular Assembly	Lower house	1 year	Mixed party-list / preferential voting	75
Pomerak'tèr	National Parliament	House of Elders	Upper house	For life	First-past-the-post	11 (1 per state & 1 appointed by the Prime Minister)
		National Council	Lower House	4 years	Instant-runoff voting (alternative vote)	63
Posaf	Kadelieort	House of Lords	Upper house	Appointed	Appointed by the Monarch and Parties	3
		House of Commons	Lower house	4 Months	Party-list	9
Princess Anne Land	House of Representatives		Unicameral	No term limits	First-past-the-post	15
Prudentianopolis	Knowledge for All's Legislative Function	Quorum of Party	Unicameral	Life tenure	Pledge the oath before the party members and inform the quorum	No fixed seat (Regent included)
Rabenberg	Minister Council		-	-	No voting	4
Regelis	Parliament	House of Councils	Unicameral	No set term	Instant-runoff voting (alternative vote)	33
Richensland	People's Representative Assembly		Unicameral	2 years	Multiwinner approval voting combined with block voting	No fixed number
Rhodesia	Parliament	House of Delegates	Unicameral	2 weeks	First-past-the-post	15
Sabia and Verona	Parliament		Unicameral	1 year	Party-list proportional representation	23
Sancratosia	National Council		Unicameral	1 year	Superposition / Mixed-member majoritarian (MMM) using a single (panachage) ballot: Plurality block voting (BV) in single nationwide constituency (8 seats); Sainte-Laguë method (4 seats)	12
Saspearian	Parliament		Unicameral	1 year	Multiple non-transferable vote	6
Seacoln	Common Council		Unicameral	4 years	First-past-the-post	15
Second American Empire	Parliament		Bicameral	2 years	Party-list proportional representation	450 in the House of Deputies
Seybold	Sitzungssaal	National Assembly	Seyboldish Lower Branch	2 Years	Elected	10
		Lawmakers’ Council	Seyboldish Upper Branch	2 Years	Elected	2
Empire of Shahawkia	Shahawkian Parliament		Unicameral	Until Death or Abdication	Appointed by High Class Monarchs	5
Shorewell	General Assembly	Senate	Upper house	?	Appointed by head of state	12
		Chamber of Deputies	Lower house	?	?	12
Silikia	Senate		Unicameral	1 Year, no limits	Alternative Vote
Snagov	Supreme People's Assembly		Unicameral	4 years	Proportional representation	20
Sorrenia	Parliament	King's Council	Unicameral	No term limits	First-past-the-post	47
	Ecclesiastic Court	Papal Directorate	Unicameral	for life	Appointment by the King	5
Suverska	National Assembly		Unicameral	6 months	MMPR/STV mix	21
Tavil	Parliament		Unicameral	1 year	Party-list proportional representation	300
Templar Kingdom	Grand Council (36 seats)	High Council of XII	Secular council	no term limits	Appointed by the head of state	12
		Council of Apostles	Religious council	No term limits	Appointed by the head of state	24
Terra Excelsior	Parliament	Senate of the Republic of Excelsior	Tricameral	Life until recall	Appointed by chancellor and president	18
		Presidential Committee of the Republic		2 years	Elected by the people	1
		Federal Council of Governors		Life until recall	Appointed by the State governments	9
Todia	Parliament	General Assembly	Unicameral	5 years	7 elected by the people, 3 members of the Presidential Council	10
Thulia	State Council		Unicameral	No term limits		3
Überstadt	Parliament		Unicameral	No term limits	Self-appointment	4
Uniland	People's Parliament		Unicameral	5 Years	First-past-the-post	5
Urbo de Sophia	Municipal Council	Kerna Katedralo	Upper house	No fixed term	By Invitation	31
		Kongreso de AF	Lower house	No fixed term	By Certification	42
Uskor	Legislative Assembly		Unicameral	2 Years	Party-list proportional representation and appointment by the head of state	350 votes distributed to party delegates who hold multiple votes, there are 6 current delegates
Valbona	Chestnut Assembly		Unicameral	6 years	Indirect election	5 Parliamentarians plus the President of the Chestnut Assembly, Head of State in Valbona, who is elected by the parliamentarians.
Vancouver Island	Legislative Assembly of Vancouver Island		Unicameral	2 years	First-past-the-post	7
Vatolean	Parliament	Senate	Upper house	No set term	Appointed by head of state	2
			Unicameral		Instant-runoff voting (alternative vote)	12
		Folketing	Lower house		Party-list proportional representation	5
Vishwamitra	Lok Sabha		Unicameral	1 year	First-past-the-post	20
Vlasynia	Consultative Senate of Vlasynia		Unicameral	1 year	At HGM the Despot's pleasure	Unknown
Vodopol	Supreme Council		Unicameral	Lifetime	First-past-the-post	4 (including the High Commissioner and the President of the Supreme Council)
Vyomania	Parliament of Vyomania	The Cabinet	Bicameral	5 years	First-past-the-post
		The House of people
West Moravia	United National People's League of Sovereignty		Unicameral	1 year	First-past-the-post	6
Winterspell	Parliament of Winterspell		Unicameral	1 Year	Multiple non-transferable vote	3
Wyvern	Statenraad		Unicameral	No term limits	First-past-the-post	4
Xennistra	Legislative Assembly of Xennistra		Unicameral	6 years	Appointed By Provincial Governers	50
Zenrax	Imperial Senate		Unicameral	?	Appointed by head of state	?
Zeprana	Congress of Zeprana	Parliament	Upper house	1 Year	No term limits	10
		Senate	Lower house	1 Year	No term limits	12
Zakinesia	Parliament of Zakinesia	Parliament Cabinet	Upper house Lower house	1 Year	First past the post	8